


Crossing the Marsh

by Valentined



Series: Pieces of Valentine [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Secret Dumbass Vincent Valentine, Slice of Life, Vincent and Cloud are Bros, Vincent versus Chocobos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-18 20:04:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20644901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valentined/pseuds/Valentined
Summary: Chocobos are the fastest way across the marsh. This is a problem.





	Crossing the Marsh

“…Chocobos.”

The blank monotone of Vincent’s voice carried oddly well over the wind, emotionless on every level. Given who he was talking to, the lack of emotion was almost more telling than if he had displayed any sort of feeling in his tone.

“Chocobos are the fastest, safest way through the marsh,” Cloud replied, raising his voice to speak over the air rushing around them both. He turned the motorcycle slightly, adjusting toward the buildings swiftly approaching in the distance, and Vincent shifted his weight into the turn, still standing perfectly upright just behind Cloud on the seat.

“Fenrir won’t make it across,” the younger man continued, “and unless you want to pick a fight with a Zolom, we definitely aren’t walking.”

Vincent wanted to say that neither he nor Cloud would have any problem dispatching an oversized Midgar snake, but as the question had been whether or not he _wanted_ to, he held his peace. He could kill one of the things, but the definitely didn’t want to. And with all options considered, Cloud was correct; riding a chocobo would truly be the best way for them to make it through the swamp.

If not for one simple fact.

“Chocobos hate me,” he stated in that same non-tone, folding his arms and tilting his head slightly to keep a sudden gust of wind from ripping his headband loose.

Cloud slanted a quick look up and back at him, but turned to face forward again and once more shifted their trajectory slightly to better smooth the ride before speaking. “Hojo?”

Vincent blinked, only momentarily confused. He hadn’t put too much thought into animal behavior around him since Cloud woke him up, primary observation centric on human reactions and that troublesome monster magnetism that kept him very busy when he was out in the field alone. He hadn’t even thought that all the things Hojo had done to him would impact the disposition of a more mundane beast in his presence, chocobos included.

“No,” he replied after a moment, pause long enough for Cloud to at least begin decelerating, the ranch coming up a little bit slower ahead of the vehicle they both rode. “They’ve never liked me.”

They were smart that way.

Cloud slowed to a stop just outside the ranch.

“I doubt the species-wide opinion will have changed,” Vincent concluded. He jumped off the bike in a flurry of tattered red fabric and wild black hair, impact on the ground almost silent.

“…Huh.” Cloud also dismounted. “I guess we’ll see.”

Vincent didn’t make any noise of affirmation, although he could have. He checked to make sure Cerberus was loaded—of course it was loaded, when was it _not_ loaded—with very believable nonchalance. “If anything tries to gore me, you’ll be entirely to blame.”

Cloud gave a quiet chuckle. “Right.” He clapped Vincent on the shoulder and nodded toward the stables. “Come on, Tseng’s team is supposed to meet us in the marsh in an hour. We’d better mosey.”

Vincent frowned, but followed when Cloud moved off toward the large yellow building. He could hear the telltale click of beaks and ruffling of feathers, occasionally joined by low croons or quiet, comfortable chirps.

When Cloud stepped in a ripple of confusion ran through the stabled mounts, bleats of “_kweh?”_ drifting from within, but it only lasted a matter of seconds. Cloud had never had a problem with animals.

Vincent’s entrance was met quite differently.

Through the cacophony of warking and avian screeches, Cloud gave Vincent a sympathetic look, shouting over the noise. “You weren’t kidding!”

Vincent narrowed his eyes marginally, wincing automatically at the noise—if anything, it had only gotten worse compared to what he remembered from his days with the Turks.

“I think I would prefer the snake.”


End file.
